Detector

Any device used to sense the passage of a particle or photonDiscrete bundle of light energy. Light of a given energy (frequency) cannot be broken up indefinitely. Rather for a given frequency it comes in discrete bundles with energy (h = Planck's constant and ν= frequency): It is often useful to think of light as a bunch of particle photons; whereas, Click on Term to Read More (x-ray, γ-ray, etc.). X-raysHigh-energy electromagnetic radiation, with short wavelength (~10-0.01 nm) and high frequency (greater than ~1016 Hertz). Although the boundaries are somewhat arbitrary, wavelengths shorter than 0.01 nm are called gamma-rays and those longer than 10 nm extreme ultraviolet (EUV). X-rays would be produced by blackbody radiation at temperatures in excess of can be detected using sealed-gas proportional, gas-flow proportional detectors, and Li-drifted Si semiconductor detectors. A Li-drifted Ge detector is used to count γ-rays in the laboratory.